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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. prune — to trim
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. bass — the fish
  10. lean — to bend
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. mine — for digging
  13. stem — to come from
  14. cue — a signal
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. prune — to trim
  17. lean — thin
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. bass — low music
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. cue — a hint

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com